Attempts have been made to provide painting tool cleaning apparatuses that minimize the messiness of the clean up process. One such apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,099. The apparatus is a paint roller washing shield. The apparatus includes a shield and a semi-cylindrical handle extending from the shield for receiving the handle of the roller. The shield receives the paint roller with a portion of the roller extending outwardly from the shield so it can be exposed to a stream of water from a water hose to facilitate cleaning while minimizing unwanted messy paint spreads.
Another arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,967. This invention discloses an apparatus for cleaning a paint brush. In this cleaning apparatus a paint brush is located through an exit region of an elongated cavity of a nozzle-like housing. A cleaning fluid such as water enters the housing from an entry region at the water end of the cavity.
This arrangement permits easy and gentle cleaning of paint from the bristles of the brush upon application of water.
These arrangements are suitable for the purposes intended. That is, to provide a cleaning apparatus for a paint roller and paint brush, respectively. However there is a need for an apparatus that will facilitate the cleaning of a paint roller, paint brush and paint roller pan all in a single apparatus. Additionally there is a need for this same apparatus to facilitate the drying of the painting implements and then storage for later use.